Keith Brion has led his popular " Sousa in Concert "performances with most of America's major and regional orchestras and in countless repeat performanes.  He also tours nationally with his own New Sousa Band.

     His authentic Sousa programs are a fulfillment of Keith Brion's long-standing ambition to take a fresh look at America's musical traditions.  These modern recreations have proved to be as alive today as they were over a century ago.  They are the result of extensive research in libraries, newspapers, museums, interviews with former Sousa band members, and the study of old recordings. Mr. Brion has given special attention to a revival of Sousa's appealing and durable programming skills, and to the original performance techniques of Sousa's Band.  His performances are authorized by John Philip Sousa Inc., John Sousa IV, President.

     Keith Brion's "portrayal" includes Sousa's conducting mannerisms and stage appearance from the 1920's, replicas of his baton, uniform and white gloves.  His investigation of the Sousa Band's performance technique has led to numerous modern editions of Sousa's orchestral and band music.

     In May of 1986, he led a PBS-TV special, "The New Sousa Band on Stage at Wolf Trap."   He also appeared in the PBS-TV special "If You Knew Sousa" on the American Experience series and for the BBC Open University..  He has recorded Sousa with his own New Sousa Band and with the Rochester Philharmonic.  Three volumes of a new series of Sousa's orchestral music have recently been recorded on the Naxos label as well as three recordings of the music of Victor Herbert and one of Percy Grainger's orchestral music. He has also recorded the music of Sousa, Percy Grainger and Alan Hovhaness for Delos.  He is currently undertaking the recording of Sousa's "Complete Wind Works" for Naxos, a sixteen CD series with London's Royal Artillery Band.

     In addition to a number of performances with Canadian orchestras, Keith Brion has appeared overseas with the Gothenburg Symphony and Stockholm Symphonic Wind Orchestra and Royal Swedish Navy Band in Sweden, the Concert Orchestra of London, and a concert and national television show with the New Zealand Symphony.    

     Mr. Brion is a former director of the Yale University Band, which he led at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.  At Yale, in the spring of 1978, he conceived a re-creation of the historical sounds and sights of John Philip Sousa and his band.  The concerts met with instant popular and critical acclaim, and were later taped for public television and National Public Radio.

     Mr. Brion has also been stepping out of his Sousa uniform, to appear with numerous orchestras as a pops conductor In "Patriotic Pops", A "Fiedler Tribute", "An Old Fashioned Christmas" a Halloween concert-" A Little Fright Music" a Valentine's Pops, a Leroy Anderson evening, and  "Viva Italia".

     Mr. Brion maintains his studio and offices in New Haven CT.  He may be contacted at WillowBlos@aol.com or via his web site:  "newsousaband.com".

9/2004